Process of converting mineral oil of high boiling-points into products having lower boiling-points.



; invented certain new and useful Improve' RUDOLEI KOETSCHAU, OF WALDHEIM, NEAR HANOVER, GERMANY, ASSIGNOE, BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE CHEMICAL FOUNDATION,

TION OF DELAWARE.

PROCESS OF CONVERTING MINERAL OIL OF HIGH BOILING-POINTS INC. .A CORPORA- INTO ,PRODUC'LS HAVING LOWER BOILING-POINTS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLF KoE'rsoHAU, a subject of the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar, residing at 40 Brandensteinstrasse, Waldheim, near Hanover, Germany, have ments in Processes of Converting Mineral Oils of High Boiling-Points Into Products Having Lower Boiling-Points; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

' clear, and exact description of the invention.

The present inventlon is based upon the hitherto unknown fact, discovered by me, that an oily product, consisting of a double compound of aluminumhalid (such as AlCl united to a hydrocarbon, possesses the property of decomposing mineral oil and its distillates, into products of lower boiling points, in :a manner analogous to an un 2W organized ferment, thereby forming a con tinuous catalytic process, while the hydrocarbon-halogenalumininm compound itself is hardly changed at all. Thus by means of small quantities of this substance, at ordinary pressure, ,or at higher pressures, or at lower pressures, and at a relatively low tem'- perature, say room temperature, or not above its fractions, and. essentially of the boiling point'of the oil being treated, it

is .possibletoconvert any desired quantity ofmineral oil, or its distillates having high lboiling points into substances resembling enzln.

The catalytic process by means of which.

this hydrocarbon halogen aluminium-compound acts as a s litting agent for compounds of the para 11 semes, could not have been foreseen; One would rather have expected a synthesizing action upon mineral 011, in accordance with the Friedel-Graft reaction, than an analytical or splitting reaction. Moreover it was not to be expected that a hydrocarbon-halogenaluminium compound in the production of which petroleum hydrocarbons are used, would-have the eifect of catalytically splitting up petroleum hydrocarbons (which constitute its mother substance) in unlimited quantities. By this reaction 1t is possible to realize an application of great technical value.

3 (Throughout this specification it will benoted that the term benzin is used to apply to liquids produced from petroleum or specification of Letters Patent.

particularly pointed out The catalytic decomposition proceeds in a v The reaction proceeds inv slmple manner. the absence of hydrochloric and equivalent Patented Dec. 16,1919. Application filed March 19, 1914. Serial no. 835,910.

acids, since we do not have to deal with halogen aluminium compounds alone (aluminium chlorid) but with particular organic compounds, namely the hydrocarbon ad-- dition product of aluminium halid. When free aluminium 'halid was used the treat ment of petroleum, the products consist chiefly of gases, with only a very small amount of light oils, most of which are un-- saturated compounds, while on thecontrary in accordance with the present invention, only small quantities of gases are formed, and the benzin produced, consists essentially of saturated hydrocarbons.

There is durin the process, a continuous production oflig t oils of the bollmg1 point of about 45 to 140 C., theproducts avmg a specific gravity at 15 (3., about 7 to 75.

As compared with the well known crack- I ing processes, the new process has many advantages, among which it 1s particularly pointed out that the oils produced in accor ance with the present invention, have a method, from saturatedor unsaturated by;

drocarbons, or from alkyl chlorids or in any other suitable manner, the reaction proceeds at atmospheric pressure, or at lower or higher pressures. Attention is called also to the fact, that the materials employed, either the oil or the'catalyzer may. employed in solid form, for instance as absorbed by porous or similar masses having a high absorptive power (e. g. kieselguhr).

Example 1.

points flow back into the still, until the entire mixture is gradually decomposed. From time to time small quantities of the catalyzer may be added to enliven the reaction, or to hasten the process. The benzin obtained in this manner contains traces of hydrochloric acid which can be removed by the addition of limeor similar material. The

process may be made continuous, by. adding 1 more of the mineral oil as fast as the light oil is'removed therefrom by distillation, and small quantities of the catalyzer may or may not be added to the mineral oil as the latter flows intothe still.

Example 2.

The process above referred to may be modified by the use of diminished pressure (about 130 mm. absolute).

Example, 3.

v The catalyzer, the double compound of hydrocarbon and aluminium chlorid, may be absorbed in'kieselguhr or other solid material. 3

1 Example, 4.

In a distilling boiler, hot petroleum isal-' lowedto drop upon an excess of the double compound of aluminium halid and hydrocarbon, which latter is maintained at a tem perature of about 170 0., while the whole is stirred. Large quantities of substances resembling benzin will distil over continu-' ously.

Example, 5.

The catalyzer may be employed to treat thegases or vapors of mineral oil, by conducting "said vapors over or through a layer of thecatalyzer, which in this case is preferably absorbed by porous materials e. g.,

kieselguhr, so that thelight products formed, -can thereafter be subjected to condensation, in order to recover the benzin.

The" material to be decomposed can be carried as'a flowing stream, directly through the apparatus in which the splitting agent isproduced, which stepsimplifies the entire process. Another mode of simplifying the process, is by starting with aluminium itself, and during the progress of the reaction to introduce hydrochloric acid or other hydrogen halid, or halogencarrying or transferring material, to act upon said aluminium. The hydrogen halid (e. g. HCl) may be introduced in the form of a gas, if desired. In these cases, products of high boiling point which are formed as intermediate products, will be split into benzin, and the formation of gas takes place only to a limited extent. The use of aluminium and halogen vehicles or transferrers in connection with aromatic substances, has already been described (see Bem'hte 28, 1895, page 1135). However, there is this material difierence, that in the Friedel-Crafts reactions, aromatic. substances only were employed, and it appears wholly impossible to presuppose any action in the case of aliphatic substances alone, by means of a catalytic reaction.

Example, 6'.

The catalyzer will first be produced, as above described.

In a suitable distilling boiler 500 kgs. of illuminating petroleum (kerosene) is heated to boiling, and 1% of pulverized aluminium chlorid is added, preferably with the addition of 1% benzol, in order to hasten the formation of the catalyzer. A small amount of the previously formed catalyzer may be added to the original petroleum if desired.

If, on account of r the high molecular Weight and high boiling point of the intermediate products, they decompose'too slowly, and the speed of ben-zin formation is too low, additional quantities of aluminium chlorid and metallic aluminium may be added to the mass, in order to acceleratethe reaction.

Example, 7'.

In a distilling retort 1000 kgs. of gas oil are heated with a mixture of 10 kgs. of aluminium dust and 15 kgs. of mercuric chlorid (HgCl which causes the formation of the catalyzer, which separates out in an oily form, and which leads to the formation of large quantities of benzin'which distil over. In case the reaction" proceeds too slowly after a time further quantities of the mixture of metallic aluminium and mercuric chlorid, may be added, which accelerates the decomposition at the intermediate products having high boiling points.

Example, 8.

1000 kgs. of gas oil are heated with 5% of aluminum powder, to a temperature corresponding to the boiling point of the oil, and a stream of dry hydrochloric acid gas is passed through said oil. After the forma= 'celerating t e particular reaction.

tion of the catalytic agent has taken place, there follows a. copious distilling over of products resembling benzin.

The quantity of benzin distillin over will be compensated for, lo the addi ion of further quantities of gas 011, either continuous ly or intermittently and in this manner 1t is possible to keep the catalytic process in operation for days or weeks, Without interruption.

It has furthermore been discovered that the splitting of mineral ,oils, and mineral oil fractions and residues, could be favorably influenced as to the speed of the reaction, by allowing chemical or physical or mechanical agents, to act together with the catalytic agent. As examples of chemical agents anhydrous chlorids such as chlorid of iron or chlorid of vanadium, or as an example of a physical agent, ultra violet light, or non-luminous electric dis charges may be employed, or mechanical influences such as vigorous agitation,- shaking or spra ing, may be employed for ac- Ewample, .9.

Acatalyzer is produced by treatin equa parts of aluminium chlorid and su limed iron chlorid with mineral oil. or a distillate thereof, by the method given above, or

there may be added, while heat' the mineral oil with the double compoundof hydrocarbon and aluminium ha1id, a suitable chlorid from time to time, such as iron or vanadium chlorid. In a short time considerable quantities of benzin distil over. The iron or vanadium chlorids appear "to have an accelerating or promoting action on the catalyzer.

. Ewarnple 10.

A suspensionof mineral oil and catalyzer are caused to flow through a quartz tube which is illuminated with ultraviolet light,

u for; example by means of a. mercury vapor other factors being re gner substances resem ling benzin are lamp, the rate of flow, temperature, and lated. In this man pro v duced, and a satisfactory yield is obtained.

Example, 11.

Petroleum to which is added 5% of the double compound of hydrocarbon and aluminium halid' is sprayed by means of a nozzle against the metal surface heated to about 200 0., which-heated surface is contained within a boiler from which the vapor are exhausted, for example under reduced pressure. In this case without any considerable formationof gas, we may obtain products having a low boiling point, suitable 'for .use as fuel forymotors. The metal surfaces may be heated in any convenient manner, such as by gas flames, oil

flames, superheated steam or vapors, oriclectrical means, in any suitable manner.

The essential feature ofthis form of execution resides in the exclusion of the formation of material quantitie of gas, although products resembling benzin are produced in a satisfactory quantity, and

without much labor. I

As above noted the reaction may be car- .ried out in such a manner that almost a complete gasification of the-oil takes place. This process is useful for some technical purposes. It has been found convert the material principally into hydro-. carbons of very low boiling point, say below 50? Cl, in other words principally gases, the process in this case being carried out in closed vessels under pressure (autoclaves). In this case we may heat the materials for a very long time, forexample several days, in contact with the catalyzer, 'at temperatures'up to-350 C. The extraordinary observation has also beenmade that temperatures of 150 C. are in-mostcases sufiicient, even if heavy mineral oils of high boiling "points are employed.

While in certain instances it is stated that the benzin -distils off and isthereby removed from further action of the catalytic body, it'willbe noted that in other instances the benzin is allowed to remain in contact with the catalytic body for a considerable time, in which-case the catalytic body breaks up considerable proportionsof the benzin originally formed, thereby producing lighter (e.

g. gaseous} products therefrom. The autoossible' toclaves in which themineral oilis heated for several days,'in contact with the catalyzer,

up to a temperature of150 0., show at the beginning of-the process no pressure above atmospheric, but after twenty-four hours, the compressed gas in the upper part of the autoclave may be found to be under considerable pressure, and may be drawn off for use as a lighting or heating agent if so.

desired.

Example, 12.

' atmospheres. After the removal of the gas, gas

the autoclave is again filled with and is again heated with the catalyzer whlch continues to act. In this case also a bomb such as is used, for storing compressed gases, could be employed.

\ 'Ew mp 131 Proceed as in example1 2, but employing the materials from which the catalyzer is produced, rather than the ready formed hydrocarbon materials of relatively high boiling points'with a hydrocarbon deriva- 'which process ma catal 'zer, and while heating themineral oil toget er with the materials from which the catalyzer is to be produced, in order that the latter shall be formed in the autoclaves, be further modified by aiding the same y means of chemical or physical agents, .such as above referred to. In this mode of execution free aluminium halid may be employed, since losses of this by sublimation can readily be avoided by the use of closed vessels in order that the catalyzer itself can readily be produced.

I claim as my invention:

1. A rocess of converting oils of relatively high boiling points, into products of lower boiling points, which comprises treating said oils, with a catalyzer, comprising the hydrocarbon addition products of a halogen aluminium compound. I

2. A process which comprises heating tive of an aluminium halid compound, and distilling oflc' products of lower boiling point than the starting material.

3. In the process of treating hydrocarbon oil with a catalyzencomprismg a halogen aluminium hydrocarbon addition product,

the step ofallowing an inflow of 'fresh material, in order to make the process continuous; I

4. A process which comprises treating mineral oil or its distillates hav' high points with a hydrocarbon a dition roduct of an aluminium halid as a cataitzr, said catalyzer being absorbed by a. porous material, and passmg a current of the oil to be treated in contact with said catal zer. a

5. n the process of treating hydrocarbon oils withfa double compound of a'hydrocarbon and aluminium halid as a catalytic agent, the step of forming said catalytic agent within the body of oil. under treatment.

6. In the treatment of mineral oils or their distillates with a catalyzer, the step of increasing the rate of reactlon, which comprises subjecting said materials during the contact of the same with the catalyzer, to the action of chemical and vphysical agents, capable of increasing the rate of the catalytic reaction.

7. In the treatment of oils with a catalyzer comprising a hydrocarbon addition product of an aluminium halogen compound, the step of maintaining said catalyzer and 'said oily bodyin contact for a long time in closed vessels, in order to allow said reaction to proceed as far as may be desired.

8. The process of converting petroleum oils of relatively high boiling points into hydrocarbon oils of lower boiling points, which comprises establishing and maintaining a. boiling mass of such troleum oils, in the presence of an alumlnous material,

leading a current of ehlorin-containing gas into contact with said-=material, under con- :ditions suitable for the formation of a double compound of aluminum chlorid and hydrocarbon, discontinuing the introduction of the chlorin-containing gas when such dguble compound has been produced, and dlstilling hydrocarbon oils of relatively low boiling points from the mass.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecifica'tion, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. a

- RUDOLF KOETSOHAU.

Witnesses:

Onro FHLAN, WAIIIHER S'rnmomc. 

